Signature-handling mechanism.



E R. KAST.

SIGNATURE HANDLING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.3.1913- RENEWED JUNE 3. I918.

Patented Jan. 21, 1919.

4 SHEETSSHEFTI Z O .5 M a U 1 1 a fl il. @m,@ d W 8 E. H. KAST.

SIGNATURE HANDLING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED EEB.3.19|3- RENEWED JUNE 13, 1918.

1,291,91 3. Patented Jan. 21, 1919.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

R. MST.

SlGNATURE HANDLING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION man FEB. a ma. RENEWED JUNE 13, ms.

Patented. Jan. 21, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

E. R. KAST.

SIGNATURE HANDLING MECHANISM. APPLICATION man FEB.3.1913. RENEWED 1UNEI3. 191s.

Patented Jan. 21, 1919.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4 awuemtoz un themes UNTE EDWARD Bk KAST, F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR T0 KAST INSETTING & GATHERING MACHINE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

SIGN ATURE-HAN DLIN G MECHANISM.

Application filed February 3, 1918, Serial No. 745,973. BenewedIune 13, 1918. Serial No. 239,890.

To all whom it mow concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD R. KAST, of Baltimore, Maryland, have invented-a new and useful Improvement in Signature Handling Mechanism, which invention is fully set forth in the-following specification.

The present invention relates to mechanism for handling signatures, and part1cu larly is an improvement in stitching mechanism and means for feeding groups of signatures past said stitching mechanism.

One of the objects of the inventionis to provide feeding means for conveying groups of signatures along a support, which means will not tear or damage the signatures, but will positively grip and convey the same in perfect alinement past the stitchin mechanism, and with the least possible friction between the moving groups of signatures and the support or saddle. This object is secured by the provision of two movable members, one engaging one side of each group of signatures and the other member engaging the other side of each grou of signatures, each group of signatures being firmly and positively gripped between said members.

A further object of the invention resides in the employment ofaplurality of stitching mechanisms which are automatically reciprocated as a whole longitudinally of the support or saddle along which the groups of signatures are fed, in order that the stitches or staples on alternate books or groups of signatures shall be placed at the same distance from the ends of the books or groups of signatures, but the placingof stitches or staples on successive books or groups of signatures shall difi'er. For example, if two stitches or staples are applied to each book, on one book the staple is applied, say, two inches from its left-hand edge and four inches from its right-hand edge, whereas, on the next book, the staple is applied four inches from its left-hand edge and two inches from its right-hand edge. ,Such

stitching or stapling is rendered desirable so that booksand magazines may be evenly stacked and packed for handling and'transportation, it having been experienced that, when the stitches or staples are applied to all the hooks in the same relative positions, they will not lie flat, but the pile will become higher along the side where the hooks are stitched.

In connection with the reciprocating stitching mechanisms, a further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the chain 'or belt by which power is applied to drive said stitchers will always be under tension between said stitchers, so that the drive will always be positive, which would not be the case if the chain or belt was so arranged that it would become slack.

The invention furthermore consists in certain details of construction, and combination and arrangement of parts to be more fully described and then pointed out in the claims. The inventive idea is capable of being embodied in a variety of mechanical structures, one of which, for the purpose of illustrating the invention, is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which drawings Figures 1 and 1' are a side elevation of a,

machine embodying the invention, Fig. 1 showing one section of a machine for mechanically assembling signatures;

Fig. 2 a perspective view, with certain parts omitted, showing, among other things, the power connections for the stitching mechanism and the feeding means;

Fig. 2* is a detailed perspective, illustrating one means for reciprocating the base on which the stitchers are mounted;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the machine, looking to the right of Fig. 1, with certain of the parts omitted, said view particularly showing the construction of the signature- Patented Jan. 21, 1919.

feeding mechanism and the means for operating the same.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, detailed perspective view, partly broken away, of the two movable members constituting the signaturefeeding means; and

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective showing the 1 connection between one of said movable members and the sleeve on which the other movable member is mounted.

Referring to the drawings, wherein similar reference numerals indicate like parts, ,10 is a support. here-shown as an inverted V-shaped saddle, along which groups of signatures constituting books or magazines are fed by suitable mechanism. Preferably the signatures are mechanically deposited and assembled on. said saddle by mechanism such as illustrated. described and claimed in my applications Serial Nos. 508.160, 712,315, or 718,063, but any suitable mex-hanism for assembling and depositing signatures may be employed,-or the groups of signatures may be placed on the saddle by hand.

As shown in Fig. 1 11 is one of a pair of grooved folding rollers which are connected to a suitable source of power and driven in opposite directions by means of intermeshing gears 12 (only one of which is shown). Sheets of paper are fed to these rollers by any suitable means and are there folded, the folded edge of each sheet first passing through said rollers. edge is gripped by a series of devices 13, which devices are in the form of semi-cyliir drical surfaces \keyed to shaft 14 to which motion is-applied from vertical shaft 15 through bevel gears"l6"'and"17, gripping fingers carried by said surfaces acting to clamp the signatures'and to release the same at the proper time, as fully set forth in my said application Serial No. 508,160. From these devices, the signature is fed, open edges foremost, onto a plurality of belts 18 which preferably carry said signature between two sets of oppositely-rotating wheels 19, one set of which is shown in Fig. 1, provided on their peripheries with suction months 20 which apply suction'to the respective folds of the signatures, thus opening the same and depositing it on the saddle 10 along which it is carried by conveyer chain 21.

Movement is imparted to said signature opening wheels from vertical shaft 15 through suitable gearing comprising a bevel gear 22 on shaft 15 meshing with a bevel gear mounted on shaft 23, a second bevel gear 24 on said shaft meshing with a bevel gear 25, the latter being carried by hollow shaft 26 on which ,is mounted one set of slgnature-opening wheels. Reverse movement is imparted to the hollow shaft on which is mounted the other set of signatureopening wheels by suitable gearing 27 and 28 (Figs. 1 and 2).

As the particular mechanism for assembling the signatures and depositing them on the saddle 10 forms no part of the present invention, it need not be'further described.

Movement is imparted to said vertical shaft 15 from any suitable motor, here shown as an electric motor 29. A worm 3O mount" ed on armature shaft 31 meshes with a worm wheel 33 keyed to shaft 32, said shaft carrying a pinion (not shown) which meshes with a gear 34 mounted on shaft 35. Said shaft 35 has a pinion 36 (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 keyed thereto. said pinion meshing with a gear 37 mounted on shaft 38. This shaft carries a bevel gear 39 which meshes with a similar gear 40 carried on the lower end of shaft 15. The signaturefeeding mechanism is driven from this shaft 38. and the stitching mechanisms are also reciprocated therefrom, as will be fully set forth hereinafter.

This folded,

t asters As heretofore stated, the groups of signa- I signature-feeding mechanism receives said groups of signatures from said chain. This mechanism is so devised as to positively grip the groups of signatures and, without injuring or damagin the same, and with the minimum expenditure of energy, intermittently feed the same past the stitching mechanism.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, 42 indicates a rod which is fixedly mounted at one end in a bracket 43 secured to the machine frame, and at its other end in a standard 44 secured to the base ofthemachine. On this rod is carried a sleeve 45 which may rotate on said rod and be moved longitudinally thereof, and looselymounted on said sleeve is a plurality of movable members or grippers 46, here shown as three, which yleldingly but firmly engage the groups of signatures to feed the same along the saddle. This yielding engagement is effected by securing one end of a coiled spring 47 to a pin 48 carried by each movable member 46, the other end of said spring engaging a pin 49 carried by a collar 50 secured to sleeve 45. On the other side of each movable member 46 a second collar 51 is secured to sleeve 45, and this collar is provided with a shoulder 52 against which a shoulder 53 on movable member 46 is normally pressed by spring 47. It will be readily understood that, by this arrangement, groups of si atures of varying thicknesses will be positively but yieldingly engaged by said members 46;

In the face of the support or saddle near est to the members 46 is provided a slot or opening'54 in which is reciprocated a movable member or bar 55, said bar sliding in a recess provided beneath saddle 10 (see Fig. 3), plates 56 overlapping flanges 57 on said bar to hold the same in place. On one end of said bar (see Figs. 2, 3 and 5) is secured a fork 58 which engages around sleeve 45, said fork extending between col- Jars-59 and 60 secured to said sleeve, thus securely uniting said bar 55 and sleeve 45, so that reciprocatory movement imparted to one will be imparted to the other.

To the under side of said bar 55 is suitably secured one end of a lever 61, the other end of said lever being pivotedin bearings 62. This lever is reciprocated from a shaft 63, mounted in standards 64 and 65, one end of said shaft carrying a bevel gear 66 which meshes with a bevel gear 67 carried'by shaft 68 which is driven from shaft 38 thl'ou h bevel gears 69 and 70 (see rig. 2), and t e screw 72 which engages a nut (not shown) carried by one end ,of a link 73, the other end of said link being suitably secured to lever 61. The extent of the reciprocation of said bar 55 and the grippers 46 may be varied by adjusting screw (2.

On collar 60 (Fig. 5) is mounted a pin 74, preferably provided with a roller 75, and means are provided for engaging said roller to automatically rotate said sleeve 45 at the proper-times to move the grippers 46 into and out of engagement with the groups of signatures. To this end a movable frame is pivoted in standards 44 and 76, said frame comprising triangular end bearings'77 and 78, to which are fixed rods 79 and 80, and rod '81 to which said end pieces are fixed, said rod 81'having bearings in the standards 44 and'7 6. Roller 75 extends between, and is preferably engaged by, rods 79 and 80. Fixedly secured to rod 81 is an arm 82 to the free end of which is secured one end of a link 83, the other end of which link is connected to the arm 84 of a bell-crank lever pivoted at 85, the other arm 86 of said lever being suitably secured to the upper end of a fork 87, which at its lower end is provided with a roller 88. A cam 89, fixed on shaft 68, engages said roller, and when said roller is on the high part of said cam, the grippers 46 have been rocked into engagement with the groups of signatures, with the fiat faces of said grippers engaging said signatures, as shown in Fi 3. When the roller is inengagement with the cut-away part of said cam, the grippers are in their uppermost position, out of engagement with the signa tures, as shown in Fig. 4.

As clearly shown, the flat faces of grippers 46 engage the upper side or face of the groups of signatures directly in line with bar 55, so that the groups of signatures are firmly but yieldingly held between two members that mov'etogether longitudinally of the saddle to feed the groups of signatures past the stitchers. This construction keeps the various signatures of the groups in alinement, obviates tearing and injuring the si natures, and insures the' feeding or moving of the same along the saddle with a minimum of friction with said saddle.

The groups of signatures are stitched or stapled while resting on the saddle along which they are fed by the mechanism just described. The stitching or stapling mechanism used may be of any suitable kind, but I have here shown two wire stitchers or staplers 90 and 91 of a well-known construction.

It has been experienced that if a number of books or magazines are stitched or stapled at the same places on each, they cannot be flatly stacked with their stitched edges one above another, and where large numbers of stitched books or magazines are handled and transported, this becomes an important consideration. It is clear that, if the stitching mechanism is stationary and the throw of the mechanism for feeding the groups of signatures. remains the samefor successive groups of signatures, the books or magazines will have the stitches or staples applied in the same relative positions. To prevent this undesirable result, and to insure that alternate books will be stitched or stapled in the same places, whereas successive books will have stitches or staples applied in different places, I impart a short movement of reciprocationsay two inchesto the stitchers as a whole, this movement being less than the throw of the signature-feeding mechanism. If, therefore, a book or magazine is supplied with two stitches or staples, one being two inches from the left-hand edge of the magazine and the other four inches from the right-hand edge of the magazine, on the next book the left-hand stitch will. be four inches from the edge of the book and the right-hand stitch two inches from the edge, and so on, the stitchers applying staples or stitches at each extremity of their reciprocations.

The stitchers are fixedly mounted on a 95, plate 92 which slides over a stationary base 93 provided with legs 94, said plate having secured thereto two strips 95 (one of which is shown in Fig. 2) that engage and slide along the underside of base 93. Reciproeating movement is imparted to said plate 92 from shaft 38, through a counter-shaft 96.

A pinion 97 mountedon said shaft 38 meshes with a gear 98 on counter-shaft 96, on which counter-shaft there is also mounted a'cam 99 provided with a cam groovein which engages a roller 100 mounted on afork 101 one end of which is pivoted to a lug 102 secured to plate 92.

Rotation is imparted to the main shafts 103 and 103 of the stitchers 90 and 91 from counter-shaft 96, a-chain 104 passing around a sprocket-wheel 105 (Fig. 2) on said countor-shaft, and around sprocket-wheels 106 and 107 on said main shafts. Said chain also passes around sprocket-wheels 108 and 109 which are secured to, and are adjustable along, a rod or bar 110 fastened to the frame of the machine. In order to prevent any slack in the chain between said stitchers, due to the movement of the latter, the chain 104 passes over sprocket-wheel 106 and under sprocket-wheel 107, which arrangement keeps the chain between said stitchers continually under tension.

To more firmly hold the groups of signatures as the stitches or staples are applied. there is arranged, preferably between the two stitcher-heads, a plurality of grooved rollers 110', here shown as two, which engage the fold of the outer signature. These rollers are mounted on'the ends of arms 111, which are secured to a rod 112 having bearings in brackets 113. A lever 11 1 is securely fixed to rod 112, the free end of said lever having a pin and slot connection with the upper end of a fork 115 provided at its lower end with a roller 116 which engages a cam here shown, a chain 119 passes around a 117 mounted on shaft 68. When said roller 116 is in engagement with the high part of said cam, the grooved rollers 110 are in engagement with a group of signatures, but when the roller 116 engages the cut-away part of said cam, the grooved rollers 110 are elevated, a spring 118 secured atone end to said fork and at the other end to the frame of the machine making the action positive.

After the groups of signatures have been stitched or stapled," they are preferably fed to any suitable delivery mechanism by which they are delivered from the machine. As

sprocket-wheel 120 mounted on shaft 68, and around a sprocket-wheel 121 mounted on shaft 122. Said shaft. 122 carries a gear 123 which meshes with a gear 124 on countershaft 125. A plurality of belts (not shown) pass around shaft 122 and carry 0d the stitched books which are delivered thereto in the usual manner by the vertically movable member 126, which is actuated in any suitable manner, the books or magazines be ing finally deposited on table 127.

Preferably a clutch is provided on shaft 32, which clutch is either closed or opened through a fork 128. Said clutch may be operated manually from any one of a number of points by means of handles 129 secured to rod 130 suitably mounted in the frame of the machine. This rod 130 is connected to the clutch in any suitable manner,

' as by lever 131, rod 132 and link 133.

Another important feature of my invention resides in the provision above the saddle of supporting niembers on which the signatures areeither manually or mechanically deposited and from which. they are removed onto the saddle by the engagement therewith of the pins 41 carried by the conveyer 21. The provision of these supportingmembers above the saddle results in the accurate alining or heading up of the signatures on the saddle. 1f the signatures were deposited directly on the saddle or on signatures carried by the saddle, the friction between the deposited signature and the saddle or the deposited signature and the signature or signatures on whichit is de posited would be so great as to prevent the perfect alining of the various signatures of each group by the engaging pin 41; whereas if each signature is deposited err-a supporting member above the saddle from which it can be readily removed when engaged by the eaters which is connected to a part 136 of the frameof the machine in any suitable manner. If this feature of my invention is employed with means for mechanically depositing the signatures, 1 preferably employ one of said strips or fingers under each section of the machine.

It will be understoodv that there is little friction between a deposited signature and the supporting member or strip 134 and accordingly, that said signature is readily removed from said strip when it is engaged by the pin 11 and that, when'it falls onto the saddle, it is in engagement with its pin 11 and in proper ahnement with the signatures on which it may be deposited.

As will be apparent, the invention is not limited to the particular structural embodiment thereof illustrated and described, but is susceptible of a variety of embodiments conforming to the definition of the invention given in the claims which follow.

What is claimed is 1. in a signature-handling device,.a support for signatures, and means for feeding groups of signatures along said support comprising a movable member engaging one side of each group of signatures and a movable member engaging the other side .of each group of signatures, a driving shaft, means connected therewith for moving said members together longitudinally of said support, and independent means driven from said shaft for moving one of said members angularly with relation to said support.

I 2. in a signature-handling device, a support for signatures, and means for feeding groups of signatures along said support comprising a movable member engaging one side of each group of signatures and a movable member engaging the other side of each group of signatures, a driving shaft, means connected therewith for moving said mem bers together longitudinally of said support, and independent means driven from said shaft for moving one of said members angularly with relation to said support, said angularly moving member being yieldingly pressed into engagement with each group of signatures.

3. in a signature-handling device, a support for, groups of signatures provided with an opening. a member movable along said support and engaging each group through its -an opening, a bar movable along said support and engaging one side of said group of signatures through said opening, a fixed rod, a sleeve mounted thereon and movable in parallelism with said bar, a gripping member carried by said sleeve, and means for automatically moving the same into and out of engagement with the other side of said group of signatures.

5. n a signature-handling device, a support for a group of signatures provided with an opening, a bar engaging one side of said group of signatures through said opening, a fixed rod, a sleeve mounted thereon in parallelism with said bar, a gripping member carried by said sleeve, a drive shaft, means connected therewith automatically reciprocating said bar and sleeve, and independent means driven fromsaid shaft for automatically moving said gripping member into and out of engagement with the other side of said group of signatures.

6. In a signature-handling device, a support for signatures, two stitching-mechanisms for stitching together groups of' signatures while on said support, each of said mechanisms having a driving shaft, a sprocket wheel mountedon the end of each of said driving shafts, a driving chain engaging said sprocket wheels, said chain passing over one sprocket wheel and under the other, and means for reciprocating said stitching mechanisms as a whole.

7. In a si ature-handling device, a support for signatures, means for feeding groups of signatures along said support comprising a member engaging one side of each group of signatures, a member engaging the other side of each group of signatures, a sleeve on which said last-mentioned memberjs mounted, a drive shaft, means connected therewith for reciprocating said sleeve, a rocking element, connections be tween said element and sleeve, and independent means driven from said shaft moving said element to rotate said sleeve.

8. In a signature-handling device, a support for signatures, means for feeding groups of slgnatures along said support comprising a movable member engaging one side of each group of signatures, a mova'ble member engaging the other side of each group of signatures, a sleeve on which said ast-mentioned member is mounted, a rocking element including two separated rods, a pin mounted on said sleeve and projecting into engagement wi'th said rods, and means moving said element to rock said sleeve through said pin.

9; In a signature-handling device, a support for signatures, means for feeding groups of signatures along said support comprising a member engaging one side of each group of signatures, a member engaging the other'side of each group of signatures, a sleeve on which said last-mentioned member is mounted, a drive shaft, means,

connected therewith for reciprocating said sleeve, a rocklng element including two separated rods, a pin mounted on said sleeve and projecting into engagement with said rods, and independent means operated from said drive shaft moving said element to cating said stitching mechanism as a whole a shorter distance.

In testimony whereof I have signed this speclficatlon 1n the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD R. KAST. Witnesses:

JOHN W. Hawns, MARK A. ELLIOTI.

:1: redres *0 the Comm 

